Apparatus for treating hams, shoulders, or joint-meat in general.



-H. J. FINN.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING HAMS, SHOULDERS, 0R JOINT MEAT IN GENERAL.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY I.-.I9I6.

Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

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HUGH J. FINN, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR To SULZBERGER & sons COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A oonroan'rron or NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING HAMS, SHOULDERS, R, JOINT-MEAT IN GENERAL.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

Application filed May 1, 1316. Serial No. 94,826.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I; HUGH J. FINN, of Kansas City, in the county of' Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Hams, Shoulders, or J oint-Meat in- General, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for pressing hams to produce square hams, socalled, or, in other words, to mold a ham to provide it with a plurality of rectangular faces. I There is a large and growing demand in out into a plurality vof thin slices for ultimate consumption. Hams are naturally of irregular form and in order that they may be sliced to the best advantage to avoid waste it is desirable that the hams be given a predetermined and rectangular form. This is particularly true where the hams are sliced by machines of which there are now numerous examples on the market.

I to provide means of simple construction which may be readily operated by'unskilled labor to mold hams-to provide a plurality of rectangular faces thereon.

provision of means for subjecting a ham to pressure to re-distribute the fatty portions thereof, even texture and waste of the valuable food 5 constituents thereof is prevented.

A further obfiect of my invention is the provision of means for she. ing a ham to a predetermined form, whereby'the ham may be thoroughly cooked in a shorter period than would be required if it was. left in its natural state. I

A still further object of. my invention is the provision of means-for treating hams to cause the parts which are necessarily separated in removing the bone to adhere, whereby subsequent separationduring the slicing is effectually prevented.

Further objects andadvantages of my in.-

vention will b'eapparent as it is better un-' derstood by reference to the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, illustrating the preferred embodiment thereof, in which;

I Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus according to my invention; Fig. 2 is an the trade for cooked hams intended to be It is an object, therefore, of my invention A further object of my invention is the' whereby the ham is given a more end elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail in perspective of the mold and means for applying pressure to the sides thereof; Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of the removable side-plate of the pressure-applying means, and Fig. 6 is a detail in perspective of the pressure plate to transfer pressure to the top of the mold.

In carrying out my invention the ham is first boned in the usual manner, is wrapped, preferably in a textile material to prevent disintegration and inserted in the mold presently to be described. The ham is then subjected to pressure to cause it. to assume the form of the mold, the fatty portions bemg simultaneously re-distributed by pressure. The top and sides of the mold are secured to retaln the ham in its compressed form and the ham is cooked while still in the mold for the desired period. When the cooking has been completed the ham may be removed from the mold and will be found to have permanently assumed the form thereof so that it may be readily sliced either manually or in a suitable machine.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates a suitable base to which apair of uprights 2 are secured. A member 3 is secured to the uprights 2 and supports a pair of screws 4: extending downwardly, and havingsuitable hand wheels 5, to apply pressure, as will presently appear.

Mounted on the base 1 is a bed 6 having a side plate 7 integral therewith or secured thereto. A loose side-plate 8 is adapted to be disposed opposite the side-plate 7, the side plates? and 8 being'embraced by the clampingmembe'rs 9 pivotally secured at 10 to the bed 6. Screws 10 are mounted in the clamping members 9 to provide means for I forcing the movable side plate 8 toward the side-plate 7.

A mold comprising the bottom 11 and sides 12 formed integral therewith is adapt- -ed to be mounted on the bed 6 betweenthe may be selectively disposed to lock the sides The pressure plate 14: is provided with slots 18 in its under face and the side-plates 7 and 8 are provided with suitable openings 19 to facilitate the insertion of the bolts 16.

The mode of operation of my invention will be readily apparent from the following brief description thereof: The boned ham 20 is wrapped and disposed within the mold which is arranged between the sideplates 7 and 8. The top 13 is inserted and the pressure plate 14 is disposed thereabove after which the screws 4 and 10 are actuated to apply pressure to the sides 12 in the top 13 of the mold. The result is that the ham 20 is forced to assume the form of the mold and is thereby provided with rectangular sides. The ends of the mold are held by the wrapping and material elongation of the ham is prevented. Incidentally the fatty portion of the'ham is re-distributed about and through the fibrous portion. When the ham has been suitably compressed the bolts 16 are inserted in suitable holes 15 treatment of shoulders or joint meat in general.

Meat treated in the mannerdescribed, af ter being cooked, permanently assumes the form of the mold and may be sliced without waste. Consequently my invention fills a long-felt requirement of the trade and accomplishes definite and useful results, the

product resulting from the use of my invention being distinguished, from similar products heretofore known in the art.

It will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a .preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a mold having a bottom and yielding sides, open ends'and a removable top, and means for applying pressure to said sides and top.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a mold having a bottom and integral sides, a removable top,

means for applying pressufe to said sides means for applying pressure to said sides and top, saidsides being provided with a plurality of alined holes, and bolts for securing said top and sides in position when the material within said mold has been compressed.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a mold having a bottom and integral sides, a removable top, clamping membersembracing sald mold for applying pressure to said sides, means for applying pressure to said top, and means for securing said top and sides in position when the material within said mold has been compressed.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a mold having a' bottom and integral sides, a removable top, clamping members embracin said mold for applying pressure to said si es, a pressure plate adapted to engage said top, means for applying pressure to said plate, said sides being provided with a plurality. of

alined openings, and bolts adapted toengage said openings to secure said top in position when the material within said mold has been compressed, said pressure plate having grooves on its under side to allo the insertion of said bolts. 7

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a bed, a side plate rigid therewith, a movable side plate, a mold comprising a bottom, integral sides and a removable top adapted to be mounted on said bed, clamping means secured to saidv bed for applying pressure to said movable side plate and the sides of said mold, a pressure plate adapted to rest on the top of said mold, and means associated with said bed for applying pressure to said pressure plate.

In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a bed, a side plate rigid therewith, a movable side plate,

a mold comprising a bottom, integral sides and a removable top adapted to be mounted on said bed, clamping means secured to said bed for applying pressure to said movable side plate and the sides of said mold, a pressure plate adaptedto rest on the top of said mold, means associated with said bed for applying pressure to said pressure plate, and means for securingthe' sides and top of said mold when the material therein has been compressed 8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a" bed, a side plate rigid therewith, a movable side plate,

a mold comprising a bottom, integral sides and a removable top adapted to'be mounted on said bed, clamping means secured to said bed for applying pressure to said movable side plate and the sides or" said mold, a pressure plate adapted to rest on the top of said mold, means associated with said bed for applying pressure to said pressure plate, the sides of said mold beingprovided with a plurality of alined holes, and bolts engaging said holes for securing the top and sides of said mold when the material therein has been subjected to pressure.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a bed, a side platev rigid therewith, a movable side-plate, a mold. comprising a bottom, integral sides and a removable top adapted to be mounted on said bed, clamping means secured to said bed for applying pressure to said movable side-plate and the sides of said mold, a pressure plate adapted to rest on the top of said mold, means associated with said bed for applying pressure to said pressure plate, the sides of said molds being provided. with a plurality of alined holes, and bolts engaging said holes for securing the top and sides of said molds when the material therein has been subjected to pressure, said side-plates being provided with openings through which said bolts may be inserted in said holes.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, a mold having a bottom and sides integral therewith, a removable top, said sides being provided with a plurality of alined holes, and bolts adapted to selectively engage said holes'to secure said top and sides in place.

HUGH J. FINN.

Witnesses:

WM. R. BURNABY, ANNA S. FRYDENLUND. 

